Trace-fastener



(Model) E. A. POLLARD.

TRACE FASTENER. No. 251,937. Patented Jan. 3,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE A. POLLARD, OF NEWPORL NEW HAMPSHIRE.

TRACE- FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,937, dated January 3, 1852.

Application filed July 1, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE A. POLLARD, of Newport, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

lhe principal object of myiuvention is to provide a cheap, simple, convenient, and durable device for connectin g or attaching the traces ofa common light harness with the ends of the whiffletree in such manner as to permit of such traces being adjusted therewith at various lengths, either longer or shorter, as the case may require in different carriages on account of thevarying distances between the holdbacks, and trace-fasteners. Such diflerences heretofore have generally been provided for by adjusting the forward end of the trace by means of holes into which the buckle-tongue was inserted, asusually provided upon the sides of the harness.

I am aware that to remedy these and other objections harness-traces heretofore have been especially constructed with projections or lateral ribs upon one side of such traces, near their rear end portions, adapted to be held and connected with the trace-fastener by means of a latch or cam-lever, the short end of which contacts with one of the projections formed upon the trace; and as such construction and operation require that the. traces be specially provided with such ribs or projections, it renders the same expensive and therefore objectionable.

I am also aware that trace-fasteners have heretofore been constructed, of a loop having a spring-pivoted pin adapted to connect the trace by being passed through the common cockeye (formed or provided at the rear end of the traces) and having a bearing upon the opposite side of the loop; but as said fastening would not serve such purposes as contemplated by my invention, as hereinafter more fully described and set forth, I need not further describe the same. i

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal horizontal section through a tracefastener constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a rear side elevation of the same.

A-represents the ferrule portion by which the fastener maybe secured to a whiffletree inv any suitable manner, the top and bottom portions of such ferrule being extended outward and curved forward, forming an open loop or frame, B B, having a front end, 0, provided with a vertical openingor slot, D, and arightangle bearing-plate, E, and between said upper and under sides of the loop or frame B B is pivoted the tongue H, having upon opposite sides orextending upward and downward therefrom vertical flanges or wing-like projections L L, which fill the space between the said top and bottom portions, B B, of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2. This flanged tongue-piece L L H is provided with a thumb-piece, F, by which it may be turned rearward or upon its pivot N,when desired to release the trace P, by

drawing the same backward until the short projection or tongue H is released from one of the holes T formed at intervals in the rear end portion of the said trace 1?,when the same may be rembved; or the trace may be adjusted so as to shorten or lengthen the same by inserting the projecting end or tongue H through the desired hole '1. Then the projecting end of the trace P is bent inwardly and passed between the lugs or beneath the loop R upon the rear side of the whiffletree-ferrule A, the lower edge of the trace P resting upon the bottom portion B of the said fastener, as shown in Fig. 1, thus retaining the end of the trace in such a posi tion as to prevent its contact with the crossbar of the carriage-shafts, and futhermore reuder the same neat in appearance, and protect it from contact with other foreign devices, as would frequently occur were no such means employed to retain such end in this position.

When the trace and its fastener are in use it will be understood that the ends of the wings or flanges L L impinge against the inner face of the trace P at their point of contact therewith when the short tongue H is received within one of the holes '1. provided in the trace, thus greatly diminishing the liability of such trace to break or tear off at the tongue-holes T when subjected to an undue strain or load. It will be seen that the short tongue H only projects beyond the ends of the flanges L the thickness of the trace or width of the slot D, and that the said tongue-body or flanges L L contact with the end bearing-plate, 0, whereby the same receives the whole strain without ICC g a t I the endof the tongue El projecting beyond such plate and resting against the right-angle plate E, thus allowing the tongue to be. released from the trace by a slight back movement.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is- The trace-fastener consisting of the project ing curved open frame B B, having the plate E, and end 0, provided with the vertical slot 10 or opening I), the pivoted tongue H, having the flanges L L and thumb-piece F, said fastner being provided with the socket A, having the lugs or loop R, all being constructed and arranged for securing and adjusting the trace P, having the holes T, substantially as shown 15 and described.

. EUGENE A. POLLARD.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. DANA, EDMUND BURKE. 

